Originally called the Comité International des Sports Silencieux (International Committee of Silent Sports) but later renamed Comité International des Sports des Sourds (International Committee of Sports for the Deaf) CISS was the first international athletic association for the deaf, founded in 1924 by Antoine Dresse of Belgium and Eugène Rubens-Alcais of France.

During the period covered by most of the documents in this collection, CISS was led by President John M. Lovett and Secretary-General Donalda K. Ammons. Mr. Lovett was a long-time leader in Australian deaf sports, having worked with CISS since 1967 and holding the presidency from 1995 until his sudden death in 2003.

Dr. Ammons, a foreign language professor at Gallaudet University, was hired as CISS’s secretary-general after Knud Søndergaard retired from the position in 1997. She went on to become acting president after the death of John M. Lovett, and served as both president and secretary-general until 2005, when the secretary-general position was eliminated and replaced by a full-time paid CEO.

Much of the materials in this collection are related to the 19th Deaflympic Games, held in Rome from July 22, 2001 to August 1, 2001. These games were originally to be called the 19th World Games for the Deaf, and this title appears on most documents in the collection. However, in May 2001, only a few months before the Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) consented to the use of the word “Deaflympics,” so the games were retitled at the last minute.

While there were complaints about disorganization and high costs for athletes, turnout was excellent: the 19th Deaflympic Games saw 2,208 athletes from 67 nations compete, with 143 events held over the Games’ nine-day span.